- The U.S. Department of Labor via the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened $12.8 million in fiscal year 2026 Susan Harwood Training Grants for workplace safety and health education, funding instructor-led training and classroom materials on hazard recognition, injury prevention and worker rights.
- There are two funding lanes: Targeted Topic Training (up to $215,000, covering up to two OSHA-specified topics) and Training and Educational Materials Development (up to $95,000, one topic, validated in class), both running Sept. 30, 2026–Sept. 30, 2027.
- Eligible applicants include nonprofits, unions, employer associations, colleges, tribal organizations, and OSHA consultation/training entities; each organization may receive only one award per fiscal year.
- Applications are due via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 31, 2026; applicants also need SAM.gov registration.
Lawmakers Balk at Nevada OSHA’s Push to Weaken Job Safety Standards
- Nevada lawmakers on the state’s Legislative Commission last week deferred a proposal from the Division of Industrial Relations that would have aligned Nevada’s worker-safety penalty structure with looser federal standards adopted by the U.S. Department of Labor in July 2025.
- The federal changes expanded penalty reductions for small businesses, including up to an 80% reduction for employers found to have committed “serious, willful violations,” which Daly called an inadequate deterrent.
- Two Democratic state senators, Skip Daly and Rochelle Nguyen, objected, arguing the state isn’t required to lower its standards to match the federal government and that reduced penalties wouldn’t benefit workers.
- Division of Industrial Relations Administrator Victoria Carreón said the agency believes a lower penalty structure would still provide sufficient deterrence and could speed up settlements, helping hazards get resolved faster.
Report: Nearly 85% of Nurses Experienced Workplace Violence
- A new report from National Nurses United finds that 84.8% of nurses have experienced some form of workplace violence in the past year, underscoring persistent safety concerns in the healthcare industry.
- 70% of nurses reported being verbally threatened, while 38.8% experienced verbal harassment based on appearance, sex, race, or ethnicity, including sexual harassment.
- More than a third reported physical violence: 36.8% were scratched or pinched, 33.0% were slapped, kicked, or punched, and another 33.0% were physically threatened.
- 36.4% of registered nurses said workplace violence in their unit has increased over the past year, compared to just 6.8% who reported a decrease.
- Only 35.5% of nurses said adequate staff are available at all times to respond to violence, and just 28.5% said additional staff had been added to address the problem.